Chemical glow products have been in use for decades. A common variety employs a combination of at least two chemicals which, when mixed, produce a glowing light for a limited period of time. Typically, these products produce a low level of light for up to about eight hours.
Such products are available in the form of sticks and more recently in the form of pouches. These products are available commercially from Cyalume Technologies Inc., West Springfield, Mass. 01089, under the brands Cyalume, Vis-P ad and formerly, CyPad. An example of a chemical light pad is schematically depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. The light pad 10 is fainted with a clear plastic pouch 12 which allows for the passage of light. Pouch 12 can be formed from two sheets 14 of clear plastic hermetically bonded or staked along a border 16.
Tightly sealed within the pouch 12 is a porous fabric 18 impregnated with one or more first chemicals for producing light. Also sealed within the pouch 12 is a thin foil packet or other frangible container 20 within which is sealed one or more second chemicals, typically in gel form for mixing with the first chemical.
The foil packet 20 may be bonded to one ply or sheet 14 with adhesive 24 while the fabric 18 may be bonded to the other sheet 14 or alternatively bonded or staked between the two sheets 14. A rigid plastic punch 26 is provided in the pouch 12. Manually pressing or bending the pouch 12 against or around the punch 26 causes the punch to pierce or rupture the foil packet 20.
Upon rupture, the second chemicals are released from the foil packet 20 and mixed with the first chemicals in the porous fabric 18. Additional mixing of the chemicals is carried out by kneading and manually pressing the light transmitting pouch 12. Once thoroughly mixed, the chemicals produce a glowing light through the pouch 12. The glowing light 10 can then be mounted to a surface by an adhesive layer 30. Layer 30 is exposed by removing a peel-away cover 32.
In the various figures of the drawings, like reference numerals designate like or similar parts.